The NHL and its players’ association may be closer to reaching a deal.

The two sides are meeting Wednesday morning and the players association is working on a new proposal to submit to the NHL. Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press met up with Gary Bettman recently, and the NHL commissioner had some interesting things to say about the lockout, most notably that the two sides have agreed on some issues. The NHLPA made 17 proposals last week during meetings and the league approved 13 of them.

Bettman said that it’s not just the league that’s refusing to budge on their stance on player contracts, the players’ association is taking a hard stance as well. Lawless asked Bettman how cancelling the season may affect negotiations and Bettman refused to talk about that possibility.

Lawless said that this lockout will not mean the end of Bettman’s reign over the NHL and that he has the full support of the owners. This is the NHL’s second lockout under the commissioner.